THE FEMINIST FIVE: A WEEK-IN-REVIEW

With so many great strides being made in feminism these days, it can be hard to keep up. So, we figured we'd round up some of the most important feminist news of the week and share it with you all... because... why not?

From us to you, here's your weekly dose of lady power:

1. NY Mag assembled an incredible article, which finally amplified the voices of dozens of women raped by Bill Cosby.

New York Magazine published a very powerful and long overdue article (and epic cover) that should—SHOULD—put the final nail in the coffin for Bill Cosby (and his apologists and sympathizers). 35 of the 46 (known) survivors of abuse and rape at the hands of this one man came forward and spoke with the magazine about their experiences. Many of them described the relief they felt in finding a community within the group of survivors, because they knew they’d never have been believed if they were to have come forward alone. The article is making feminist waves online and is seen as a contributor toward the breakdown of rape culture at large, showcasing the need for a change in our general understanding of sexual assault (and highlighting how far we've come). While the circumstances are heartbreaking, we have to admit that it's pretty dang rad watching these women raise each other up to take down the powerful force that has kept them in the dark for so long. Right on, ladies.

*BTW, a NYTimes piece came out stating that NYMag's site crashed as this article circulated like crazy. So proud to see something like this #breaktheinternet. But like... what colour was that dress? Oh, shush.

2. Nicki Minaj brought "misogynoir" to the attention of thousands.

Sure, we probs all heard about the Twiff (get it? Twitter tiff?) between Nicki and T. Swift this week—but many of us didn't really hear Nicki amidst all the dramz mcgamz (aka #catfight, but rly just a misunderstanding, and subsequent resolve, btwn two rational adults). She was actually speaking out about intersectional feminism and black female bodies, commenting on misogynoir—a clever term used to describe the unique form of misogyny faced by women of colour (particularly black women)—and the reality that black women are only allowed to be sexy when portrayed from the hetero-male gaze. You guys, it's a play on words and a feminist statement. Be still our hearts.

3. A super strict abortion law was struck down in North Dakota.

Sometimes, we get so caught up that we actually manage to delude ourselves into thinking that we have ownership over our own vaginas. Ha! But alas, IRL, our reproductive rights are challenged every day by adorable politicians who believe our ladybits belong to them. That's why news from North Dakota this week has got us all a lil excited! One of the stricted anti-abortion bills ever proposed—HB 1456, which bans abortion as early as 6 weeks (often before a woman will even know she's pregnant)—was determined unconstitutional by the federal court. In a state with just one abortion-providing facility left standing, this victory is a v important #win for women nationwide.

4. After pissing off a bunch of people, Instagram brought back the #curvy.

Yep; Instagram brought #curvy back to life, even after claiming that associated content had constantly violated their precious rules about nudity. But, considering you can find, like, actual porn on Instagram, it's safe to say that the 'gram is really just not comfortable with a certain kind of nudity—like the #curvy kind (or the menstrual kind). Now, hide yo kids, hide yo wife; all women are allowed to publicly exhibit self-love again.

5. People are rising up everywhere with the hashtag #SayHerName in response to the strange, in-custody death of Sarah Bland.

In the wake of the curious and devastating news about Sandra Bland—a black woman who was pulled over for a small traffic violation and then mysteriously died while in custody—there has been much-deserved outrage. Katherine Spillar, Executive Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation, gave a speech to Cleveland city officials, imploring them to hire more female police officers in the interest of cutting down incidents of police brutality (a plea which was backed by significant evidence). Lady cops FTW!

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